reoccuring AN

[tarico1949]

Has anyone had an AN come back after first surgery?   

[Jim Scott]

Yes.  Assuming that no tumor cells were deliberately left due to the risk of nerve involvement, the re-growth rate post-op is somewhere around 5-10%, depending on the individual.  I believe that Retrosigmoid Approach surgery has the highest re-growth rate.  A 'fresh' MRI will tell you if there has been re-growth.  If so, radiation is usually offered unless the growth is too large or too close to the brain stem.

Jim

[CHD63]

Hi tarico1949 and welcome to this forum .....

I am one of those in the 5-10% range who experienced regrowth following retrosigmoid approach surgery for removal of a 2.6 cm AN.  The surgeon was confident he had totally excised the tumor so it truly was a rare case to regrow.

The original surgery was in 2008 and a second surgery was done for the regrowth (1.3 cm) in 2011, via translabyrinthine approach.

I am doing very well, by the way ..... no facial involvement and able to do everything I want to do.  I am single side deaf but have a great assist from my Oticon Medical Ponto Pro bone-anchored hearing assist.

If you have specific questions, let us know. 

Clarice